Junior Tara Davis and freshman Ashley Crider autograph a poster for a special Lady Buc fan.

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 7, 2009) - The ETSU women's basketball players and staff took time out of its busy schedule to volunteer at the 11th Annual Food Show on Wednesday morning at Freedom Hall.

As part of National School Lunch Week, this year's theme was "All-Star Lunch," so many of the Lady Buccaneer players and staff helped in various ways - which included a meet and greet with the team, autograph sessions, basketball drills, and acting as role models for fitness/nutritious lifestyles and academics. In addition to those activities, the ETSU ticket office donated a "Plank Pack" to be raffled off to one lucky fan.

"This was a win-win opportunity for all of us," said Karen McGahey, the Food Service Director for Johnson City Schools. "Today's function allowed the ETSU women's basketball program an opportunity to interact with the local students in the Tri-Cities region, while teaching them about athletics and what it takes to be a collegiate student-athlete. I understand the time commitment of student-athletes with practice and academics, so I was very pleased with the turn out from the Lady Bucs."

Over 400 students, school administrators, parents, and teachers attended the food show from the school systems of: BristolCity, CarterCounty, CockeCounty, GreeneCounty, GreenevilleCity, HamblenCounty, HawkinsCounty, JohnsonCounty, Johnson City, NewportCity, RogersvilleCity, and SullivanCounty. There were also another 150 adult vendors on hand to show new food products for evaluation and use in school cafeterias in these systems.

For the past two years, the "All-Star Lunch" has included physical activity as a part of the food show to illustrate the need for movement - including a well-maintained nutritional plan for a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

The ETSU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics takes pride in its community service activities and strives for 100 percent participation from its student-athletes, coaches and administrators throughout the year.

For more information on Lady Buccaneer basketball and the ETSU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics community service efforts visit www.ETSUBucs.com.